BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado combines short pasta with crispy bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, leafy arugula, creamy avocado, and thinly sliced red onion. The salad is tossed in a tangy dressing made from Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, white vinegar, and fresh herbs. This salad offers varied textures and balanced flavors, integrating the classic BLT sandwich elements with pasta and fresh vegetables for a chilled side or light meal.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 1 pound short pasta such as shells, farfalle, cavatappi, noodles
- 1 pound Bacon
- 1 pint cherry tomato sliced in half
- 2 cups arugula leaves
- 1 avocado , chopped
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
Dressing:
- ½ cup yogurt low-fat or full-fat, plain, Greek
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chives fresh, minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley flat leaf, fresh, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions just until al denté and still a bit firm. Rinse under cool water and drain well. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the bacon into ½" pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until desired crispness. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate topped with a paper towel to drain well.
- Add the bacon, tomato, arugula, avocado and red onion to the pasta.
- In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, chives, garlic powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Thin with milk, water or buttermilk if desired.
- Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and gently toss. Taste for seasoning. Serve chilled.
Notes
- If time or ingredients are limited, a quality bottled Ranch dressing can be used in place of the homemade yogurt and mayonnaise dressing.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 404
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 404kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 29mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 515mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 358mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 316IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.